The table below shows the consumer durables (telephone, refrigerator, etc.) owned in Britain from 1972 to 1983.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
» You should write at least 150 words.
| Consumer durables | 1972 | 1974 | 1976 | 1978 | 1979 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 |
| Percentage of households with: | ||||||||
| Central heating | 33 | 43 | 48 | 52 | 55 | 59 | 60 | 64 |
| Television | 93 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 |
| Video | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 18 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 87 | 89 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | – |
| Refrigerator | 73 | 81 | 88 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 93 | 94 |
| Washing machine | 66 | 68 | 71 | 75 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 80 |
| Dishwasher | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Telephone | 42 | 50 | 54 | 60 | 67 | 75 | 76 | 77 |
Sample Answer 1:
The provided table represents information on the percentage of consumer devices owned by British people from 1972 to 1983. Generally speaking, the most popular electronic item in Britain was television, whereas the less owned household appliances were dishwasher and video which had been introduced to the British families later in 1978 and 1983 respectively.
As for the table data, TVs and vacuum cleaners were always popular in English families with their ownership percentages of 93 and 87 respectively in 1972. A similar ownership pattern for refrigerators and washing machines denotes their popularity as well. Other electronic household appliances’ usages in English families increased in the given period and this rising trend was more significant for telephone and central heating devices. Videos were introduced in 1983 and only 18% British families had it then. A similar trend could be observed for the dishwashers – though it appeared in 1978, not more than 5% British family possessed it in 1983.
[ Written by Nooshi ]
Sample Answer 2:
The given presentation compares the percentages of electronic household appliances owned by British families from 1972 to 1983. In general, TV had always been popular among British and the dishwasher was the least common item during the given period in Britain.
As is observed from the given data, almost one-third households in Britain had central heating machines in 1972 and the percentage increased each year and reached to 64% in 1983, which shows that the central heating machine users almost doubled in 12 years. Again, Television was the most common household equipment as 93% households had them. This ration reached to 98 percent with slight increase year by year. However, the video was introduced in 1983 when only 18% houses had them. Then Vacuum cleaner, refrigerator and washing machines were three most popular household appliances after TV which was owned by 70% house owners in 1972 and the percentages increased to over 90 after 10 years. Interestingly, dishwashers were very less popular as only 3% families owned them initially in 1978 and their user’s percentages reached to only 5 in 1983. Finally, the percentage of houses that had telephones was only 42% but with their popularity, this percentage reached to 77 after 12 years.
In conclusion, the television was the most popular consumer durable while the dishwasher was the least common type of durables the British people had during the years 1972 to 1983. Vacuum cleaner, refrigerator and washing machine were three other popular consumers’ durables for the given period in Britain.
Sample Answer 3:
The given table compares eight different consumer products possessed by the British between 1972 and 1983. As a whole, television was the most common item they were using during this period, while dishwasher, which was introduced in 1978, was the least popular durable product in the UK.
It can be seen that television and vacuum cleaner were those two devices consumed more than the other ones, from 1972 to 1983. About the former, it ranged from 93% to 98% and the latter from 87% to 95% ownership in Britain. Furthermore, the figures of both groups gradually rose.
In contrast, dishwasher and video were the least favourable durable during 1972 to 1983. 3% of British citizens began using the dishwasher in 1978, reaching the maximum of 5% in 1983. In addition, the video became a durable electronic device since 1983, and only 18% of these people used it. On the other side, usage of all of the other products, including washing machine, refrigerator, telephone or central heating steadily grew. In this case, the percentage for central heating had the greatest growth, rising from 33% in 1972 to almost twice in 1983.
[ Written by – Rambod ]
Sample Answer 4:
The given table shows data on households consumer items owned by British during the period of 11 years commencing from 1972. It is clearly visible that the percentage of households who owned consumer durables had seen a significant hike during this period. Television was most popular consumer item in this period while the dishwasher was the least common item.
In details, television, vacuum cleaner, refrigerator and washing machine were owned by more than three-quarter house owners in Britain during 1972 to 1976. In subsequent years, the percentage of households owning these items had increased gradually and more than 90% British owned these items at their home. For instance, refrigerators were owned by 73% households in 1972, which saw a steady increase in the coming years and reached up to 94% in 1983. A similar trend could be observed for washing machine.
On the contrary, central heating and telephones were owned by only one third and less than half of British households in 1972, but ownership of these items saw a steady increase too in later years and reached up to 64% and 77% respectively in 1983. Dishwashers were introduced in 1978 with 3% ownership and reached up to 5% in 1983, whereas, data for video is provided only for 1983 with 18% ownership in Britain.
[Written by – Tarun]
